Automatic train-stopping means



F. LYLE.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOPPING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21' I919.

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AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOPPJNG MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2h 1919- v Patented Mar. 2,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. BY jbte Lyn, M

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WITNESS: 22%

FATE LYLE, OF BENTON, TENNESSEE.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-STOPPING MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Application filed June 21, 1919. Serial No. 305,749.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FATE LYLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Benton, in the county of Polk and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Stopping Means, of which the following is a specification.

One of the objects of my present inven tion is the provision of a simple, reliable and durable installation for assuring the stopping of trains in the event of the same coming into close proximity to each other on the same track, thereby averting a collision.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an installationfor the purpose set forth, of such character that trains may be stopped at difierent distances from each other according to the strengths of the outfits for generating electric current, complementary to the trains; this provision obviating the necessity of dividing the track rails and the conductor rails into blocks separated by insulation, and depending for its action upon the resistance afforded by the track rails and the conductor rails to the passage of the electrical current.

Other objects and practical advantages of the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims, when the same are read in connection with the drawings, accompanying and forming part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a broken side elevation showing the locomotives of two trains, equipped with the best practical embodiment of my invention ofwhich I am cognizant.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section taken through a portion of one of the locomotives, and illustrating a part of my novel equipment.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view illustrative of another part of the equipment com mon to the locomotives, the elements in said figure being shown in the positions they occupy when the locomotive is running.

Fig. 4 is a similar View with the elements referred to in the positions'they are caused to assume by an operation of my improvement.

Fig. 5 is a view diagrammatic in character and showing the installation as a whole.

Fig. 6 is a detail enlarged view showing one of the contact wheels and the mounting thereof.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings.

I have elected to illustrate my invention in a block system, but it is to be understood that I do not confine myself to the employ ment of the invention in a.block system, for the reasons hereinbefore alluded to and hereinafter fully set forth in detail.

In furtherance of my invention, I provide conductor rails 1 and 2 alongside the track rails 3 and 4t, and when the block system is adopted, the said conductor rails and track rails will be arranged in blocks, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

I also equip each of the locomotives 5 and 6 with the apparatus shown best in Figs. 2 to 6. The equipment of each locomotive is identical, and therefore a detailed description of one locomotive equipment will suffice to impart a definite understanding of both. The equipment referred to comprises a throttle lever 7 having a detent 8 for coiiperation with a segmental rack 9, and also having a handle 10, an engineers valve 11, provided with a handle 12 in which is an aperture 13, a rod 14 assed loosely through the aperture 13 and headed at 15, and a block 16 connected to the rod 14 and also connected through a retractile spring 17 and a loop link 18 with the handle 10 of the throttle lever 7. Manifestly movement of the block 16 toward the left from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4, will be attended by movements of the throttle lever 7 and the engineers brake valve handle 12 in the same direction, with the result that steam will be cut off from the piston cylinders of the 10- comotive, and during the completion of such cutting off operation, the engineers valve will have been opened to effect such communication between the train pipe of a fluid pressure brake apparatus and the atmosphere as to bring the train to a gradual or service stop. In this latter connection, it will be noticed that there is considerable lost motion of the rod 14 through the aperture 13 of the handle 12 before the head 15 engages the said handle 12 to bring about movement thereof. It will also be manifest that when movement of the block 16 toward the right in Fig. 4c is permitted, there is nothing to prevent manual manipulation of the handle 12 and the lever 7 for the starting of the locomotive. It will also be noticedhere that the loop link connection of the spring'l'? with the detent handle 10 does not interfere with the usual manual movement of the said handle 10. Each locomotive is also equipped with an electric motor 20, the armature shaft 21 of which is con nected through a train of gearing 22 with the shaft 23 of a drum 24. Connected to and designed to be wound upon drum 2 1 is a cable 25 that is looped about a sheave 26 on the block 16 and is connected at its opposite end with the frame of the motor 20'. From this it follows that energization of the motor 20 will cause the before described movement of the block 16 toward the left in Figs.

3 and 1; also, that when the motoris de-v energized, there is nothing to prevent the before-mentioned movement of the handle 12 and throttle lever 7 toward the right. As will be readily understood from Fig. 5, each motor 20 has its poles electrically connected with contact wheels 31 and 32 complementary to one track rail 4 and one conductor rail 2, respectively; also, that the wheels 31 and 32 of one locomotive are arranged for cooperation with the rails 4 and 2 at one side of the railway, and wheels 31 and 32 of the other locomotive are arranged for cooperation with the trackrail 3 and the conductor rail 1 at the opposite side of the railway. As shown in Fig. 6, each contact wheel is preferably carried in a hanger 33 and backed by a spring 34, and a conductive brush 35 on the hanger is preferably employed in contact with the perimeter of the wheel to assure adequate passage of current to and from the wheel. tive is also equipped with contact wheels 31 and 32; these latter contact wheels being arranged to engage the track rail 3 andthe conductor rail 1 at the opposite side of the railway with reference to the rails engaged by the contact wheels 31 and 32 of said locomotive. Any approved generating outfit may be employed for supplying current to the wheels 31 and 32 said outfit being carried by the locomotive. I prefer, however, to employ a generator 40 actuatable by movement of the locomotive and a storage battery 41 electrically connected with the poles of said generator, and also electrically connected with the wheels 31 and 32*. I also prefer to employ the electrical connection between the generator 40 and the storage battery 41 with a switch 12, in order that the generator may be cut out when the storagebattery is adequately charged.

In the practical operation of my novel installation, it will be readily understood that when two locomotives equipped with my improvement come into dangerous proximity to each other on the same track, the course of the electric current will be from the plus pole of one storage battery 41 to the contact wheel 32 belonging to the same 10- Each locomocomotive, then through the conductor rail 1, then through the contact wheel 32 of the 10- comotive, and through the motor 20 of said locomotive to actuate thesame, and from the motor to the contact wheel 31 of the secondnamed locomotive, and then back by Way of the track rail 3, the contact wheel 31 of the first locomotive, and the electrical connection shown, to the minus pole of said storage battery. At the same time current will pass from the plus pole of the storage battery of the second-named locomotiveto the contact wheel 32 ither'eof, and then by way of the conductor rail 2, the contact wheel 32 of the first-named locomotive and the electrical connection thereof through the motor 20" of said locomotive, and then by way of the electrical connection shown at the right of Fig. 5, the contact wheel 31, the track rail 4, the contact wheel 31 ofthe second-named locomotive, and the electrical connection shown, to the minus pole of the storage battery .41b'e'longin to said locomotive. In consequence, the throttle lever 7 and the engineers brake valve handle-12 of each'locomotive will be actuated in the manner before described, so as to bring each locom o tive to a stop and thereby avert a collision.

As hereinbefore suggested, the generating outfit of each locomotive may be of such character as to supply either a strong current or a weak current to the electric motor complementary to the locomotive. From. this it follows that the electric motors 20 of the locomotives may be made to operate when the locomotives approach within a certain predetermined distance of each other- 2'. 6., when the locomotives are in. such proximity that the current afforded by the generating means is suflicient to overcome the resistance offered by the'track rails, and the conductor rails. From this it follows that the application of my invention is not restricted toa block system, but on the other hand the apparatus may be used to advantage in conjunction with continuous track rails 3 and a and continuous conductor rails 1 and 2.

.Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patcm, is:

1. In means for the purpose described, the combination of a throttle lever, a segmental rack complementary thereto, a detent carried by the lever for cooperation with said rack, the handle of an engineers brake valve; said handle being apertured, a movable element equipped with a sheave, a rod connected with said movable element and movable loosely through the aperture in said valve handle. and provided beyond the handle with an enlargement, a retractile spring connected with,

the movable element, a loop link connecting said spring and the detent. handle, a cable passed about said sheave and fastened at one end, and electro-mechanical means for taking up said cable to move the detent handle and throttle lever and the valve handle.

2. In means for the purpose described, the combination of a throttle lever, a segmental rack complementary thereto, a detent carried by the lever for cooperation with said rack, the handle of an engineers brake valve; said handle being apertured, a movable element equipped with a sheave, a rod connected with said movable element and movable loosely through the aperture in said valve handle and provided beyond the handle with an enlargement, a retractile spring connected with the movable element, a loop Iink connecting said spring and the detent handle, a cable passed about said sheave and fastened at one end, and an electric motor having a drum to which the opposite portion of the cable is connected and upon which said portion is adapted to be taken up.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FATE LYLE. 

